| It is a mistake to try to establish leadership by shaking,
shouting at or smacking a dog. This creates an unpleasant and uncomfortable relationship
and may trigger fearful aggression or teach the dog to use aggression to his/her
advantage. Your dog is from another culture and has
come to live with you, not knowing or understanding your language and customs. In a
perfect world he/she would understand our language and you could explain why you need to
make rules. In the real world puppies only understand the rules that they learned in the
litter from their mother and siblings. Their primary means of communication is with body
language and some vocalisation. When they leave their mother and the litter they will have
learned how to live co-operatively with other dogs in response to PHYSICAL CONTACT; CONTROL of MOVEMENT AROUND THEIR
ENVIRONMENT; ACCESS to and POSSESSION
of ARTICLES, FOOD and RESTING
PLACES.
In this day and age, a pet dog is much more a part of the
family and has greater access and freedom around the home. This only becomes a problem
when owners are not aware of the dog’s natural drives and instincts. Some privileges
allowed are not important in human terms but can be very significant to a dog. I have
tried to highlight causes of confusion that may lead to a breakdown in communication and
the development of common problems. The aim is to develop a good and positive relationship
from the outset. Prevention is always better than cure. The methods are not confrontational, encourage confidence and trust in
humans and if followed consistently will put owners in a calm leadership role.
WARNING: If there is a serious or long standing
inappropriate behaviour in an adult dog, especially where aggression is involved, you will
not find all the answers you seek in these pages. Go to your Veterinary Surgeon, who will
examine the dog to see if there is a physical problem contributing to the situation. If
this is ruled out, a referral to an experienced and qualified professional, approved by
your Vet is the next step. An individual, staged rehabilitation training programme can
then be developed to overcome the established problems. |
